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Miscellaneous Records of the Free State Executive Committee

The subject matter of the formation of a Constitution for Kansas with a view to its admission into the Union as a State, has for many months engrossed the minds of the citizens. After having exhausted to all human appearances every plan for such redress of our greivences as would satisfy us as Free-men, after having petitioned for succor in our great helplessness and real need, after having remonstrated against the outrages which had been perpetrated upon us, after having denounced as illegal, anti-american, unparralled, and unkind the usurpation of our nights in the bringing of armed mobs to control our Elections in two instances, (said mobs coming from and residing in foreign states,) our supplications, remonstrances and denunciations, but brought down upon us a rule of tyranny worse than Russian serfdom, A Legislature was attempted to be foisted upon us in the choice of which our citizenship had no voice, Mis-named laws were passed by that body, (whom we have and still belive to have been convened in contravention of law or precedent) of a character the most humiliating and debasing to an American Citizen carried out, (and the present Government Official Meson Shannon has expressed his intention to the effect they shall be, both in letter and in spirit, in part and in whole.) The right of speech stifled, the muzzling of the Press attempted, the right of suffrage wrested from us, and for the paltry sum of One Dollar per head transferred to any and all, without refference to their residence or citizenship. Debaused from the privilege of a voice in the election of the most insignificant officers, and in a word making us white Slaves in every sense, it cannot be wondered at that some such remedy as that of seeking admission as a State in the Union should be revolved in the minds of an oppressed and grossly outraged people. The first movement made to this great end, was that of a published call, gotten up by C.K. Holliday & I.K. Goodin made on the 15 th day of August 1855, for a meeting to be held in Lawrence, at which time and place the Territory was largely represented by the Sovereign Squatters therein, which read as follows.

(over)

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“Mass Meeting.”

“ The Squatters of Kansas Territory without distinction

“ of party will assemble in mass meeting at Lawrence

“ on Wednesday 15 th day of August at 3 o’clock

“ P.M., to take into consideration the propriety of calling

“ a Territorial Convention preliminary to the formation of a

“State Government, and other subjects of public interest

Aug. 15 th 1855. (Signed) “Many Citizens”

Pursuant to the call a large convention of the people irrespective of party met; and adopted the following Preamble and Resolution (which was reported by a committee of five appointed by the Convention,) with but one dissenting voice. The committee consisted of G. W. Smith, C.K. Holliday, C. Robinson, Johny Brown jr. and A. F. Powell.

“Thereas, The people of Kansas Territory have been since its settlement, and now are without any law-making power; therefore, be it

Resolved,

“That we the people of Kansas Territory in Mass Meeting

“ assembled, irrespective of party distinctions, influenced by

“ a common necessity, and greatly desirous of promoting

“ the common good, do hereby call upon and request all

“ bona fide citizens of Kansas Territory, of whatever political

“ views or predelictions, to consult together in their respective

“ Election districts, and in Mass Convention or otherwise, elect

“ three Delegates for Each Representative to which such

“ District is entitled, in the House of Representatives

“ of the Legislative Assembly, by Proclamation of

“ Gov. Reeder of date 10 th March 1855: Said Delegates to

“ assemble in Convention at the Town of Topeka, on the

“ 19 th day of September 1855, then and there to consider

“ upon all subjects of public interest, and particularly upon

“that having refference to the speedy formation, with an

“ intention of an immediate application to be admitted

“ as a State into the Union of the United States of America.”

At a delegate convention held at Big Springs in Kansas on the 5 th of September 1855, to “take into consideration the present exigency of

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“ political affairs in Kansas Territory, and the nomination

“ of a Delegate to represent her people in the Thirty-fourth

“Congress of the United States,” Mr. John Hutchinson

“ desiring an endorsement of the convention of the

“ Peoples Convention,” offered the following resolutions which was agreed to.

“Proclaim Liberty throughout the Land, to all the inhabitants thereof.”

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*should be placed below Lawrence Dec. 23d 1855.

In the absence of the Chairman C.K. Holliday was Elected Ch’n protem. A letter from Eli Thayer proposing to furnish the Militia of the Territory with 1,000 Stand of improved arms for 12,000$ Kansas Certificates of indebtedness was lain before the Committee.

On motion of G.W. Smith, Mr G. M. Brown was instructed to correspond with Mr Thayer accepting the proposition.

A motion was made by Mr. Brown to re-issue to James Redpath the sum of $174, certificates which he Redpath claims to have lost; the committee instructed the Secretary to require in this and all simillar cases an affidavit of the person who claim a reissue for lost Certificates.

Adjourned until to-morrow morning at 9, o’clock

I.K. Goodin Sec.

*(should be above). Lawrence Dec 9 th 1855

Com. Met present Lane, Holliday, Smith, Brown, Parrott & Schuyler.

Moved by G. W. Brown that the Ex. Committee appoint 5 delegates to travel in the States to urge the cause of Kansas upon the people and induce Emigration to the Territory. Carried. The following persons were selected W.Y.Roberts, Dr. James Davis, P.C. Schuyler, Geo. W. Brown, and M. A. Parrott were selected.

On motion it was ordered that the Sec’y be instructed to issue the sum of $200. 00 certificates to each of the five delegates appointed. Carried.

E.b.K. Garvey Asst Secy.

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Lawrence Dec. 24 th 1855.

Com. Met present Lane, Brown, Smith, Holliday & Goodin.

On motion C.K. Holliday was appointed Historian of the late Kansas difficulties with full power to dispose of the Copy Right. The com. spent the ballance of the day in auditing accounts and preparing Proclamation & Election papers for the Coming Election.

Lawrence 27 th Dec 1855.

Com. in Session. The following proclamation anouncing the result of the Election on 15 th Dec. inst and proclamation calling an Election for State Offices and Members of the General Assembly were presented, discussed, and ordered for publication.

Proclamation.

“At an Election holden on the fifteenth day of December,

“1855, to determine, by ballot, for or against the adoption

“of a Constitution for the State of Kansas, framed by a

“Convention of Delegates which assembled at Topeka,

“on Tuesday the 23 d day of October, 1855, it doth appear

“by the returns of said Election now on file in the Office

“of the Executive Committee, that a majority of all the

“votes cast, are in favor of the said Constitution.

“Now,

“therefore, by virtue of authority in me vested as Chairman

“of the Executive Committee of Kansas Territory,

“I do hereby proclaim and make known, that

“the Constitution framed by the said Topeka Convention,

“has been ratified by the qualified voters of Kansas

“Territory, and I do now declare the same to be the

“ Constitution of the State of Kansas.

“And I

“do further proclaim and make known, that, of

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all the votes cast at the aforesaid Election, “for,” and “against” a separate and distinct article, on the Subject of Banking, a majority are in favor of, a General Banking Law, as ascertained by the returns of said Election, now on file in the office of the Executive Committee, and I do now declare the said Article, to be a part of, the Constitution of the State of Kansas.

And I do further proclaim and make known, that of all the votes cast, at the aforesaid Election “for” and “Against” the passage of laws by the General Assembly, providing for the Exclusion of free Negroes from the State of Kansas * * * the result of such vote to operate as instructions to the First General Assembly, upon that subject,” A majority are in favor of “ Exclusion,” as ascertained by the returns of said Election now on file in the office of the Executive Committee.

Given under my hand, at the office of the Executive Committee of Kansas Territory, at the City of Topeka, this 27 th day of December, A.D. 1855

Attest, I H Lane

C.K. Holliday Chairman

Sec. Pro tem.

Proclamation.

By virtue of authority in me vested as Chairman of the Executive Committee of Kansas Territory, I do hereby proclaim and make known, that the qualified voters of Kansas will meet at the several precincts herein after mentioned, on the fifteenth day of January A.D. 1856 and then and there Elect _________________________

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One person for Governor.

One “ “ Lieutenant Governor,

“ “ “ Secretary of State,

“ “ “ Auditor of State,

“ “ “ Treasurer of State,

“ “ “ Attorney General,

Three “ “ Judges of the Supreme Court,

One “ “ Reporter of the Supreme Court,

“ “ “ Clerk of the Supreme Court,

“ “ “ Public State Printer,

“ “ “ Representative to Congress.

At the same time and places, they will also Elect Twenty persons for Senators, and Sixty persons for Representatives to the General Assembly of the State of Kansas, to be appointed among the several Districts as follows to wit:

Senatorial and Representative Districts.

1 st – The first Election District shall be entitled to Three Senators and Eight Representatives.

2 nd – The Second Election District shall be entitled to One Senator and Three Representatives.

3 d – The Third Election District shall be entitled to One Senator and Three Representatives.

4 th – The Fourth and Seventeenth Election Districts shall constitute the Fourth Territorial & Representative Districts and be entitled to One Senator and Two Representatives.

5 th – The Fifth Election District shall be entitled to

The current URL is http://www.territorialkansasonline.org/~imlskto/cgi-bin/index.php?SCREEN=show_transcript&document_id=100619.